"I think it even surprised everyone to the degree that there is a kind of a running assumption that black and white is a turn-off for most people," the director explained.

"It caused such an extreme reaction, and so much appreciation for these pictures, and then people immediately wondering if the film itself was going to be in black and white, and so we are giving it a whirl, and I think the Blu-ray will come out with a pass on it."

He added: "I think it will be a very handsome black-and-white version of the picture."